(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The first annual MUSEXPO international music and media forum will be held May 1-4 at the Wyndham Bel Age Hotel in West Hollywood, CA. Craig Kallman (COO/co-chairman Atlantic Records Group), David Massey (EVP A&R, Sony Music Label Group U.S.), Brian Becker (chairman/CEO, Clear Channel Entertainment), Donald K. Donald (chairman, DKDE Group, Canada), Dave Holmes (DC Music, Coldplay manager), Kenny MacPherson (president Chrysalis Music Group USA), Jeff Pollack (chairman/CEO Pollack Media Group), Zane Lowe (presenter BBC Radio 1/MTV Europe), Nic Harcourt (head of music, KCRW Los Angeles), Peter Asher (Sanctuary Artist Management), Alex Jones-Donnelly (head of usic, BBC Radio 1, UK) and Peter Katsis (SVP Music, The Firm) are attending.
The nightly showcases will highlight 24 recently signed and unsigned bands from around the world, including the U.S., England, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Sweden, will be held at the Viper Room, The Roxy and Key Club.
The four-day event will also feature a special keynote panel hosted by CNN's Larry King, round-table networking sessions. "We are honored that CNN's Larry King has agreed to support MUSEXPO," says A&R Worldwide managing director Jim McKeon, organizer of the event. "He will host and interview a small distinguished group of international industry leaders. Instead of the normal one person, one keynote approach, we will kick off MUSEXPO on the morning of, May 2 with this unique keynote panel of top internationally known music and media industry leaders." King–who has interviewed everyone from rock stars to royalty to captains of industry–will introduce and conduct this panel in much the same manner and format as his renowned "Larry King Live" program.
Some of the key industry topics will include: International Touring & the Growth of Festivals, Global Radio Programmers Summit, Traditional and Digital Music Distribution Issues, The Community of Indie Labels, Worldwide A&R/Talent Discovery View, Artists & their Representation, Music Supervision & Licensing–Film/TV/Videogames/Advertising, Music Publishing and World Territories Music.
A&R Worldwide, which was launched in January 2004 by partners Sat Bisla, Jim McKeon and Steve Smith, produces two newsletters per week that are subscribed to by nearly 8,000 professionals around the world, to share information about breaking and soon to break artists from all territories globally. A&R Worldwide also produces their own syndicated radio program, "Passport Approved," to deliver a united international front to showcase the best new emerging and breakthrough artists from around the globe. The two-hour weekly show–hosted by Bisla and Mike Savage–provides a crème de la crème cross-section of imports, B-sides and rarities to music enthusiasts and listeners.
The concept for MUSEXPO is based on a series of successful dinners that began four years ago in New York, Berlin, London and Los Angeles with creatively minded professionals. "These exclusive dinners were organized with the purpose of bringing together friends from the radio, A&R, publishing and artist management communities to engage in creative dialogue and establish fresh business relationships," said Bisla. "The mission of these networking dinners and MUSEXPO is to encourage forward-thinking executives from the international music and media communities to connect with other similar creative professionals. All with the purpose to discover new music and develop un-conventional ways of doing business in a rapidly changing market."
"Our goal is to create a new 'red-letter date' on the global music business calendar…an annual event that would ultimately bring thousands of music and media creative talents and executives from around the world to Los Angeles each spring," said McKeon.
One expected attendee, Alex Jones-Donnelly (head of music and live music, BBC Radio 1 U.K.) said, "I'm coming to MUSEXPO because it represents a major presence for up-and-coming repertoire that will impact the global market. MUSEXPO has its pulse on breaking music and international radio trends and movements. A&R Worldwide has established itself as a credible organization that brings together the best creative minds in the world in the right type of networking environment." –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
